1. “Advancing human security through
knowledge-based approaches to reducing
vulnerability and environmental risks”
Ecosystems, Livelihoods and Disaster
Risk Reduction Workshop
Bonn, Germany, 21-23 September 2010
Fabrice Renaud
Director a.i.
Head of Environmental Vulnerability &
Energy Security Section Bonn, Germany
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2. RATIONALE
There are many linkages between ecosystems and disaster risk
reduction:
o Reduction of exposure
o Reduction of vulnerability of exposed communities or
systems
o Increased resilience
o Provision of livelihoods
The above are often interlinked and we should not get bogged
down in definitions here!
However the links between ecosystems and DRR are sometimes
not sufficiently understood
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3. The interlinkages
I ENVIRONMENT II III
P
Natural Phenomena
New State ENVIRONMENT State “Now” Alternate State
R P
HAZARDS Hazard E R
linked to anticipation of potential HAZARD Risk Often unfavourable for the
P E
changes Land Use Changes socio-natural events
Natural events / intervention studiedV
Reduction A
e.g. system R E
R
Interactions Event
E
D
N
T
R
I
COUPLING External shock N I
I
ADAPTATION E O S S
Tipping point Tipping point S N K
SOCIETY VULNERABILITY RISK S
K
Sub-system
International↔National↔ Subnational scale
M
VULNERABILITY threshold D
RI M
e.g.
Emission
Environmental
Sphere
S E Vulnerability
Environmental I T
A
Risk S EI
1a) EXPOSURE
Control SUSCEPTIBILITY
Exposed and
LACK OF intervention A G N
D
and FRAGILITY RESILIENCE
Subnational↔local scale
vulnerable S A
Social U A
T T
Sphere elements E Coping S Exposure
Social Risk
G
Capacity to
Capacity
e.g. Early E I
Warning
Physical reduction C
O
R
anticipate T E
Ecological N
Local scale
Economic Economic M I M
Temporal Social
e.g.
Sphere
Social S E
Capacity to Risk
Susceptibility A T
O E
Insurances reduction Regime
N R
1b) Economic cope A A N
Spatial Shift N
G N
T
Cultural FEEDBACK E S
INTERVENTION
SYSTEM
E S
Vulnerability Reduction (t=0) Capacity
to Resilience M F
Institutional recover improvement E E
N R
Preparedness T
2a) Regime
Shift S E Vulnerability Reduction (t=1)
Disaster / Emergency
Management
2b) S E RISK GOVERNANCE
RISK Organization / planning /
implementation
Renaud et al. 2010 EconomicUnderstanding multiple thresholds of coupled social-ecological systems exposed to natural hazards as
(in press): / social / environmental potential impact
external shocks. In Natural Hazards
Source: Move Deliverable Source: Birkmann, 2006: Potential change orFramework
BBC Vulnerability impact
Turner II et al. 2003. A framework for vulnerability analysis in sustainability science. PNAS 100:8074-8079 2

4. OBJECTIVES
To take stock of the latest scientific developments on the linkages
between ecosystems and their role in DRR
To take stock of good practices on ecosystem-based approaches for
DRR
To enhance the dialogue between the scientific and practitioner
communities in order to improve knowledge and practice of
ecosystem-based approaches for DRR.
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5. FORMAT
Four interlinked sessions:
Session 1: Introduction of concepts
Session 2: Scientific knowledge, tools and methods
Session 3: Practitioners’ based knowledge, tools and methods
Session 4: Integration of concepts
The red-line is provided by the sessions and by a set of key questions
We will have: a few oral presentations for setting the scene; the “work” will take
place in breakout groups and plenary sessions; posters can be discussed over
coffee breaks
The entire workshop will be supported visually through graphic facilitation
The types of hazards considered are those linked to coastal processes, as well
as landslides and wildfires
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6. Expected Outputs
A roster of scientists, experts and practitioners working on
ecosystems and DRR
Roadmap for the future:
o Research agenda
o Capcity development activities
Publications:
o Edited book with original contributions from interested
participants and capturing main conclusions of workshop
o A policy note
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7. For further information:
UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY
Institute for Environment
and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 10
53113 Bonn, Germany
Phone: ++ 49 (0) 228 815-0200
Fax: ++ 49 (0) 228 815-0299
E-Mail: info@ehs.unu.edu
www.ehs.unu.edu
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